No-knead bread (Sullivan Street bakery recipe)

[prawncracker]

I am getting obsessed with making this, after years of making disappointing loaves I can't believe how simple this is and how well it turns out every single time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Ah9ES2yTU

Has anyone tried it? It's similar to the wet dough method discussed in another bread making thread

the youtube video has cut out showing two further risings so read this too:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html

This is my favourite video of making the bread (yes i am getting overexcited about it) - cute dogs!:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7_kmSalsNgM

[Rosendula]

Quick reply - I don't have time to watch the vids right now but will later.
I regularly make bread without kneading it. I keep a little bit of dough from the last batch in the fridge. I use this instead of adding bought yeast. I take it out in an evening, mix it with about 25fl.oz. warm water and 2tsp sugar. Then I add some flour (ordinary flour, not strong) to make it into a stiff but wet paste. Cover the bowl with a wet cloth and leave it in the airing cupboard overnight**. Next morning I add 4tsp salt and more flour. If you got good strong arms and shoulders you can mix it with a wooden spatula, otherwise it might need a little bit of kneading. Put it in well greased tins and cover with a wet cloth again, leaving it in a warm place for about an hour*. Then they go in a pre-heated oven, Gas 7 for 20 minutes, followed by Gas 5 for another 15 mins.

Outcome
Dense
moist
very tasty
filling
even the kids love it.

I usually make quite a few loaves at a time and freeze them. I defrost on a cooling rack so the bottoms don't get soggy. They will keep for ages in a flour bag, and retain their crusty crust. We prefer a soft crust though, so once thawed I slice them and keep them in a plastic tub.

That was meant to be a quick reply!

EDIT - *I should have said leave for at least an hour. Have a look after an hour and use your judgement

ANOTHER EDIT - **I've just discovered that you can use the dough at this stage to make crumpets (pikelets). Melt some butter in a frying pan and spoon in a little mixture. Don't pile it up. Cook over a low-mid heat for about 5 mins until the bubbles have popped, then put the pan with them still in under a low-mid heat grill until the top has browned.

[ina]

I don't do much kneading, either. Time does to the dough what kneading does if you don't have the time, if you get my meaning!

[MikeM]

we also don't knead our bread (in fact, I'm posting whilst waiting for the yeast to rise) just mix the flour, yeast, waster and salt in a bowl and bung it in a breadtin. Makes quite a dense loaf, but that suits me as I'm also a bit on the dense side.

[Ellendra]

I knead with a fork, right in the bowl, then let it do its first rising with the fork still stuck in.

I call it "Lazy Cook's Bread".

[prawncracker]

Hi thanks for your feedback. Will give those a try too.

The difference for me with this one is the very, very crusty crust and the soft crumb with big holes, very light, unlike my normal bread cooked in a loaf tin which is best served hot because it is so dense and heavy.

Because it is cooked wet in a hot Dutch oven (or big crueset pot with the lid on) you are emulating, in a homespun way, the steaming process that you get in very expensive bakers' ovens.

I thought i'd messed up yesterday's by leaving it to rise for 4 hours instead of two in the tea towel. Nope it was still lovely

[shell]

i did enjoy the video and so did my 6 year old daughter who now thinks she is cooking bread in my kitchen
i definatly will give this a go but now need to buy the dutch cooking pot!

[prawncracker]

Shell i just used a big pyrex casserole dish the first time and it worked fine. Because it was smaller than my iron pot i got a taller-shaped loaf and it was still very crusty

[shell]

thanks ,i have a couple of pyrex bowls with lids,will use them,and so will my daughters

[SarahJane]

I think I am going to have to give this a go aswell. Thanks for the link!